​The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) recently appointed a working group to develop diagnostic guidelines for clinical malnutrition that can ultimately be implemented universally.

Prof Renée Blaauw, head of Therapeutic Nutrition at the Division Human Nutrition at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), has been invited to represent the South African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SASPEN), and thereby also Africa, on this body.

GLIM was formed by the four largest international clinical nutrition societies (ESPEN for Europe, ASPEN for USA, FELANPE for Latin-America and PENSA for Asia), and has global representatives from national nutrition societies, including SASPEN.

"Currently each society makes use of their own guidelines to diagnose malnutrition in hospitals and clinics. This makes it extremely difficult to compare internationally sourced data. The aim is to get the group to agree on guidelines that can be used universally," says Blaauw. These guidelines will then be presented to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for adoption.

This is a challenging task due to the many variables, such as body composition, race and available resources that differ across population groups. Though there are certain points of agreement pertaining to diagnostic guidelines, a press release on GLIM's most recent meeting held in Copenhagen in September last year, highlighted the call from nutrition experts across the globe to appoint a working group to aid in reaching consensus. Blaauw views her role as having to give guidance in the pursuit of this goal, rather than one of leadership.

"The guidelines should be practical and logistically appropriate for Africa and South Africa, especially if it will be adopted by the WHO," she says. "I believe the continent has valuable input to contribute to help give perspective on clinical nutrition practices in a developing environment."

Blaauw describes her appointment as a representative for SASPEN both an honour and a great responsibility. "It's important that SASPEN and Africa are recognised as a respected member of this committee," she says. "I look forward to taking on this challenge."

Last year the fifth-year medical student and former Tygerberg Student Council (TSC) chairperson, Nick Wayne, was awarded the prestigious Abe Bailey Scholarship that gives selected students the opportunity to visit the United Kingdom. The objective of this travel bursary is to broaden the views of young South Africans by enabling outstanding students who show exceptional leadership qualities and a strong service ethic. Wayne recounts his experience:

In July 2016 I was selected for the Abe Bailey Scholarship that includes a travel bursary to the UK. The Scholarship was inaugurated in the 1950s and has seen over 800 influential alumni in spheres of business, politics and academia. The scholarship is described as follows:

"Bursaries are awarded to persons who are academically strong and who show exceptional leadership qualities and service, not only in student affairs, but also within a wider social context and who are able to function as part of a select and highly skilled group."

It is a grueling bursary selection process: 40 students applied from Stellenbosch University alone, and there were hundreds of eligible and impressive applications from all over the country. But only 17 students were selected – one from each university in the country. Helene-Mari van der Westhuizen was the last Tygermatie to receive the scholarship in 2013.

On 22 November 2017 the tour started right here in Cape Town with a three-day tour of the fairest Cape. During this time, each student had to present a topic to the group and I prepared a talk on Addiction and Substance-Use Disorders.

On November 25 we left for Ethiopia where we visited the African Union Headquarters and met South African delegates and ministers attending a Trade Summit. The following day we set off to London where we stayed at the historic Goodenough College, where "Abes" (as Abe Bailey Bursars are affectionately called) have stayed for the past 50 years.

We spent a week in London, visiting museums, castles and galleries in the day and enjoying different plays on the West-End every evening. The tour met with MPs from the House of Commons, Lords from the House of Lords and a London Mayor. Some students even met with her majesty, the Queen of England at Goodenough College, but unfortunately most of the group, including myself, was in Bath at the time.

The tour was incomparable and no expense was spared to ensure that we experienced every aspect of British culture. The food was one of my favourite parts of the tour as we enjoyed three-course dinners most nights. Everything was paid for including inner-city travel, entrance to all sites and tickets to all events. Each bursar was also gifted some pocket money, which allowed me to travel to Europe after the completion of the tour.

The following week we visited Bath, and then we were off to Cambridge for two days where we stayed at Corpus Christi College. We also visited Oxford, where we stayed in the famous Randolph Hotel, and met with old "Abes" and Rhodes scholars studying at Oxford.

Travelling in the symbolic red coach, the tour set off to Stratford-upon-Avon where we spent the evening watching The Tempest. After a long bus ride, we arrived in Edinburgh, which was unanimously everyone's favourite city. The tour ended in the Highlands of Scotland at a breath-taking lodge called The Burn where we spent four days lazing around and reading books. During the day we would also discuss pertinent South African issues, and walk to ancient Scottish forts and glens.

I was fortunate enough, with the money I saved on Abe Bailey, to travel to Bohemia and Germany.

It was a life-changing experience!

A special vote of thanks to the offices of the Vice-Rectors, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and most notably to the International Office of Stellenbosch University for affording me this opportunity.

Stellenbosch's popular Street Mile Festival, which is being held for the seventh time this year, will see a new champion being crowned tomorrow. The defending champion and Olympic athlete, Johan Cronjé, will not be able to defend his title due to an operation and a bunch of upcoming athletes are eager to battle it out for the title.

This unique race in the tree-lined Victoria Street takes place on Wednesday 8 March 2017 at 18:00 and again forms part of Stellenbosch University's (SU) Woordfees (Wordfest).

This year, the Street Mile boasts its own unique logo and medals. A special trophy will also be awarded for the first time: athletes managing a dream mile (a mile in under 4 minutes) will have their names engraved on a copper plate on the trophy.

The first Dagbreek Street Mile was held in 2011 in honour of SU alumnus De Villiers Lamprecht – the first South African athlete to run the dream mile (the mile in under 4 minutes). He achieved this feat on 13 November 1964 at Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch.

Cronjé has won the race three times and recorded the first Victoria Street dream mile – in 2015. Last year's runner-up, Llewellyn Groeneveld, is a favourite to win the title, while Duwayne Philander is also a strong contender. He boasts a best time of 4.04, achieved during the Street Mile in Oudtshoorn in December. This race forms part of the Eden series which is also held in Mosselbaai and Hartenbos. He took part in the SA Senior Championships in the 5000m as well as the SA Cross-country Championships and the SA u23 championships. This will be his first Dagbreek Street Mile.

Zaid Williams, winner of last year's u19 men's race, returns this year to partake in the elite race. Another newcomer is Lukhanyo Ndobaka with a best mile of 4:25. He also took part in the SA Junior athletic championships in the 5000m and 10 000m, as well as the SA Cross-country Championships. Heinrich Wagner is another athlete who took part in the Oudtshoorn Street Mile. His best time is 4:14.

Categories

Several races will again take place: men, women, schools (boys and girls u15 and u19) and elite, whilst an exciting skateboard race is again part of the programme.

"Last year, none of the athletes achieved a dream mile, however, a dream mile was completed in the skateboarding division," says Mr Francois Fouche, organiser of the Street Mile race. "The skateboard race took place for the first time last year, and to our knowledge is the only street mile for skateboarders in South Africa. The winner was Walter Barlou with a time of 3:41.41. Last year, skateboarding achieved Olympic status and will be offered for the first time at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

Between the races, there will be music to lend a festive air to the day and there will be performances by the 12-year-old singing sensation Dirja Lekas. She was the winner of the Young Divas Unite competition in 2016.

R30 000 in prize money is up for grabs this year, as well as a lucky draw. The first 10 athletes in each race will receive medals as well as the first 30 athletes in the open men's and women's categories. The entrance fee in R30.

Sponsors include Puma, PNA, Asla, SU's Development and Alumni Relations Office, Eikestadnuus and Submerged Industrial. Coke is providing the refreshments.

While Stellenbosch University has many measures in place to save water as part of the water savings initiatives in the Western Cape, every one of us can also contribute to saving water when we are not at the office.  

According to the statistics of the City of Cape Town, that provides Stellenbosch with approximately 60% of its water, nearly 75% of water used in the city is for domestic use. And then 40% to 60% of this water is used ineffectively in gardens and pools.

Here are a few tips for saving water at home:

• Make sure that you close taps properly. A dripping tap can waste up to 30 litres of water per day, which equals 10 000 litres per year.
• Use your water meter to detect leakages. Read the water meter, wait for two hours without using water, and then read it again.
• Collect rainwater from gutters in a tank. This water can be used to water the garden.
• Turn off the tap when you shave, brush your teeth or wash your hands.
• Take a short shower instead of a bath.
• Install water-saving shower heads. A non-water-saving shower head can use up to 16 litres of water per minute.
• Collect shower water and use it to refill the toilet bowl.
• Try to do more washing at a time instead of doing smaller loads.
• Rinse fruit and vegetables in a bowl of water and then use the water in the garden. 
• Cover your pool to counter evaporation.
• Drink less bottled water. To produce 1 litre of bottled water requires 3 to 5 litres of water.
• Eat chocolate! It takes 1 litre of water to produce a bar of chocolate and 2 400 litres to make a hamburger.
• Plant more indigenous and water-saving plants in your garden.
• Use a broom to sweep paved areas. It is illegal to hose down paved areas in the Western Cape.
• Do not mow your lawn so often! Longer grass retains water better.
• Use alternative water resources like grey water or install a wellpoint or sink a well.
• While waiting for the tap water to heat up, collect the running water in a bottle for re-use.

Also visit www.capetown.gov.za for more water-saving tips. Contact John de Wet or Meg Pittaway for more information or send an e-mail to groen_green@sun.ac.za.

On Wednesday (8 March) we celebrate International Women's Day. In opinion pieces in the media Dr Nadia Mans-Kemp and Prof Suzette Viviers (Business Management) and Dr Michelle Sikes (Sociology and Social Anthropology) focus on areas where women still get the bad end of the stick. Dr Michelle Sikes co-authored her piece with Nana Adom-Aboagye, a doctoral student at the University of Johannesburg. Click on the links below to read the articles:

• Dr Nadia Mans-Kemp and Prof Suzette Viviers (Fin24)
• Dr Michelle Sikes (The Conversation)

​An alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) achieved major success with the undergraduate research essay he wrote in his final year at Stellenbosch University.

As an undergraduate, Dr Iain Walker, a former MB,ChB student, who is now practicing medicine at the Kimberley Hospital in the Northern Cape, did a research project that earned him top honours at the annual congress of the Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (SNSA), and his essay was also selected for publication in a prestigious international journal.

His research, which assessed the impact of technological changes in the neurotrauma environment, was nominated as one of the top three research talks at the 2015 SNSA congress. The research article derived from the study, entitled "A Double Edged Sword: The Effect of Technological Advancements on the Management of Neurotrauma Patients". It was published in the British Journal of Neurosurgery in August 2016.

"It was a prospective study that looked at whether new technology in the neurotrauma environment actually improves care. It compared current data with data from 2007 – before any of the ECM (Enterprise Content Management), PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication system) and new computerised tomography (CT) scanners were used. The study results shed light on the dangers of removing human decision-making and direct communication from treatment, for example, when booking emergency scans," said Prof Ian Vlok, head of the FMHS' Division of Neurosurgery, who also supervised Walker's research essay.

"By studying a well thought-through topic he managed to save lives by identifying inconspicuous weaknesses in the current neurotrauma system that should have been improved by technology, but wasn't," said Vlok.

Walker "feels incredibly lucky" to have been a part of this study. "Not only did we achieve the aims of our research, but I was awarded the opportunity to have worked with two surgeons who are giants in their respective fields (Professor Ian Vlok and Dr Ameya Kamat, a registrar in the department)," he said.

"It was an exceptionally rewarding experience. Not only was I able to learn from my mentors' vast skill sets and diverse expertise, but also from the way in which they embody humility and a genuine will to help others and to educate," Walker continued.

"The fact that the research was well received within the medical community was an honour, however, knowing that our months of hard work has potentially resulted in better outcomes for our patients and their families, is truly special."

Small animals play a much bigger role in our lives than we think and we also need to include them in our conservations efforts, writes Prof Michael Samways of the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology in an article published on The Conversation website recently.

• Read the complete article below or click here for the piece as published.  
  

Intertwined lives in a hidden world

We think we rule the planet, and we are hard wired to do so. But our ruling has not been successful, with the next mass extinction event upon us.  This time it is not a meteorite that is causing all this loss of life, but us.  Geologists have even given this new era in the history of the Earth a new name, the Anthropocene, the age of humans.  It is the first time in the history of the Earth where one species dominates all the others.

But how many 'others' are there?  Probably about 10 million.  And the vast majority of these are the invertebrates, the animals without backbones.  Not all are so small, with some squids and jellyfish being several metres long or across. 

Most though are small and unassuming, and are hidden in plain view.  They are there, but we rarely see them.  They are busy maintaining the fabric of the world around us.  They are the warp and weft of all natural systems. They do this by making the soil, pollinating the flowers, spreading seeds, and recycling of valuable nutrients back into the soil.  They are also food for many of the birds that we love so much, and they keep other small animals in check by eating or parasitizing them.

Yet most of us are oblivious to all the valuable roles that these mostly small, even tiny, animals in their millions play in all aspects of the world around us.  If all their services were gone tomorrow, many plants would soon go extinct, crops would be lost overnight, many birds would die from lack of food, and soil formation would largely hold.  The knock-on effects would also be huge as food webs collapse, and the world as we know it would quite literally fall apart.

So what can we do about saving all these small animals?  As the future of our children depends on these small animals, we must focus on increasing awareness among the young.  Research has shown that children are intrinsically interested in what a bee, cricket, butterfly or snail is.  Their small world is at the same level as this small world of insects and all their allies without backbones. Yet strangely, while we care about our children, we care so little for all the small creatures on which our children depend on now and into the future. 

What we must do is show them that the bee is keeping the flower alive, the grasshopper is recycling scarce food requirements for plants, the millipede is making the soil, and the ladybug is stopping pests from eating all our food.  Showing children that this miniature world is there, and that we all depend on it, is probably one of the best things we can do to help them survive the future in this world of turmoil.

Being aware of the actual animals, 'the species', is an important window for beginning to understand the huge complexities of the world around us, and which scientifically we are only just beginning to understand. We should point out that a bee is giving us those flowers, and an ant is the cleaner of the forest floor, taking away all the debris from other small animals, and the caterpillar is feeding the soil by pooing on it.  Then we can conceptually jump to the whole landscape, where there are millions of little claws, mandibles and tongues holding, munching and sucking nectar all the time, yet we rarely actually see it all happening.

A good way to understand this complexity is view a small community of 1000 species leading potentially to half a million interactions between the various species.  Yet the natural communities around us are usually much larger than that.  This makes understanding this world too mind boggling, and conserving its complexity too unwieldy. What this means is that for conservation, while we use conceptual icons, like the bee and the butterfly, we actually aim to conserve landscapes intact so that all the natural processes can continue as they would without humans. 

Conservationists have developed approaches and strategies that maintain all the natural processes intact in defined areas.  The processes that are conserved include behavioural activities, ecological interactions and evolutionary trends.  This umbrella approach is highly effective for conserving the great complexity of the natural world. This does not mean that we overlook particular species. 

Small-creature conservationists in reality work on and develop strategies that work at three levels.  The first is at the larger scale of the landscape. The second is the medium scale of the features of the landscape, which includes features like logs, ponds, rock crevices, patches of special plants, among many others.  The third is the still smaller scale of the actual species.  When we say 'smaller scale' this is really about a conceptual scale because some particular species actually need large spatial areas to survive.  At this fine scale of species, we focus attention on identified species that need special attention in their own right. 

While we so often think that it is only tigers, whales and parrots that need conserving, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small creatures that all need special conservation focus. And this focus becomes increasingly and critically important as every year, if not every day, that passes.  We must think and conserve all these small animals that make up the platform for our future survival on the planet.

*Prof Michael Samways is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University.

​Math Noortmann joined the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) of Coventry University (CU) in November 2014 as their professor in Transnational Law and Non-State Actors.At CTPSR, he leads the Research Group on Transnational and Maritime Security.His interdisciplinary work includes publications on private military and security companies (2011;2016), transnational criminal organisations (2015), (counter) terrorism (2014) and non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations (2006;2014;2015).His recent projects include: (1) The Maritime Dimension of Transnational Organized Crime in Indonesia, (2) Countering the Threats of Illegal and unsustainable fishing, and (3) the Role and Position of Private Security Organisations in Transnational Security Governance.

​Dr Juliette Koning is Reader in Organization Studies at Oxford Brookes Business School (UK). She holds a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Her research explores entrepreneurship, identity work, religion, ethnicity, leadership and sustainability in the context of small business organizations and/or private security organizations in Southeast Asia, the UK and South Africa. She has published in journals such as Entrepreneurship, Theory & Practice; Journal of Business Ethics; Entrepreneurship & Regional Development; International Journal of Business Anthropology; Management Learning; Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. Co-edited volumes include New Religiosities, Modern Capitalism and Moral Complexities in Southeast Asia (Palgrave, 2017) Chinese Indonesians and Regime Change (Brill, 2011), and Local Ways of Managing Insecurity in Indonesia (Brill, 2006).

​Professor Mandrup was appointed Extraordinary Associate Professor to SIGLA during 2016 and joined us from 1 March 2017 at our Saldanha office, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University.  Professor Mandrup is involved in the Landward Governance hub of SIGLA with research and publications on African security, defence and African armed Forces in particular. His involvement with the Faculty goes back to 2009 when the first conference in the ON STRATEGY series took place under his guidance and he is currently involved in planning the fifth event in the series destined to take place in Addis Ababa during 13-15 eptember 2017

​On 31 March 2017 Prof's Henri Fouché and Francois Vreÿ from SIGLA will be participating in a Maritime Safety and Security Focus Group meeting, to be held in Pretoria, for the South African Chapter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Academic Group. The objective of the meeting will be, amongst others, to identify a universal theme and area of research that would be relevant to all the countries of IORA, as well as one area of research within this theme to focus on.  

The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an economic cooperative community, consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean. The Association comprises of twenty-one member states (South Africa, India, Australia, Mauritius, Indonesia, Comoros, Iran, Madagascar, Oman, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Bangladesh, Seychelles, Malaysia, Mozambique, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Yemen, Somalia) supported by seven dialogue partner states (China, France, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Japan, Germany and the United States of America).

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) coordinates the SA-IORAG comprising of representatives from the National Research Foundation (NRF), Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) as the chair and vice-chair of the SA-IORAG and secretariat respectively. 

South Africa is the current vice-chair of the IORA and will take over the chair for 2017 to 2019. In preparation for the chairship, the South African Chapter of Indian Ocean Rim Association Academic Group has been formed. The South African Chapter is established in accordance with the objectives of the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group which constitutes the academic arm of IORA.Consequently, the Chapter's objectives extracted from the IORAG priorities (Maritime Safety and Security; Trade and Investment Facilitation; Fisheries Management; Disaster and Risk Management; Academic cooperation; Science and Technology; Tourism and Cultural Exchanges; Blue Economy; Women's Empowerment [Transformation and Equity]) will be:

• To service the needs of government and business;
• To promote intellectual dialogue between partners;
• To serve as a vehicle for development and dissemination of the Indian Ocean Rim concept;
• To interact with the IORA South Africa in the consideration, formulation and implementation of Policy and Work programmes contributing to the work of the Association and its academic arm;
• To draw up academic networks with local and international partners;
• To promote outreach programmes to increase the visibility of IORA South Africa and the Association itself through public lectures especially at institutions of higher learning.

Direct benefits for academic participation include publishing studies and reports in the IORA Journal and Website; Networking with Dialogue Partners and Member States of IORA; Contributing towards annual IORAG meetings during the Council of Ministers and Committee of Senior Officials; Delivering public lectures in Member States; Host science, technology and academic initiatives in South Africa in collaboration with the rest of the IORA member states. 

​Christian Bueger is Reader in International Relations in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Cardiff University. He worked as a Leverhulme Fellow at the Greenwich Maritime Institute, London (2011) and a research fellow at the Institute for Development and Peace, Duisburg, Germany (2010). He obtained his PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute, Florence, Italy (2010).  Prior he graduated as a Diplom-Politologe from the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and worked at the Institute for Social Research, Frankfurt am Main and the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt.He has held several visiting fellow positions, including at the University College London (UCL), Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (2015), the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore (2015), Institute for Political Science, Copenhagen University (2014), Centre for Advanced Security Theory (CAST), University of Copenhagen (2013). 

​No long rows, waiting or frustration. Quick. Easy. Effective. This is true of the new registering process all clients of the Central Analytical Facilities (CAF) at Stellenbosch University will have to use to receive a unique CAF ID-number in only five minutes.

From 1 April 2017, all CAF clients will need a client number in order to use CAF services. The National Research Foundation (NRF) requirements for reporting usage of equipment funded by the National Equipment Programme (NEP) have become more demanding this year. The NRF now requires the university to report a comprehensive profile for each person who uses such equipment for a period of five years after the commissioning of the equipment. CAF created an effective system for collecting this information using only five minutes of the client's time. Clients will be requested to provide basic information required by the NRF as well as contact details required by CAF and will only have to register once to have access to all CAF facilities. A unique CAF ID-number will be generated which will be required whenever clients make a booking or use any of the facilities.

 Register today at www.sun.ac.za/caf and receive your CAF ID-number.

No long rows, waiting or frustration. Quick. Easy. Effective. This is true of the new registering process all clients of the Central Analytical Facilities (CAF) at Stellenbosch University will have to use to receive a unique CAF ID-number in only five minutes.

From 1 April 2017, all CAF clients will need a client number in order to use CAF services. The National Research Foundation (NRF) requirements for reporting usage of equipment funded by the National Equipment Programme (NEP) have become more demanding this year. The NRF now requires the university to report a comprehensive profile for each person who uses such equipment for a period of five years after the commissioning of the equipment. CAF created an effective system for collecting this information using only five minutes of the client’s time. Clients will be requested to provide basic information required by the NRF as well as contact details required by CAF and will only have to register once to have access to all CAF facilities. A unique CAF ID-number will be generated which will be required whenever clients make a booking or use any of the facilities.

Register today at www.sun.ac.za/caf and receive your CAF ID-number.

What can festivalgoers expect at the SU Woordfees for the rest of the week?

Reza de Wet's classic drama, the Hertzog Prize winner Drif, in which two sisters manage an inn next to a ford and try to calm the spirits of those who had drowned there, is a touching work that will intrigue the audience.

The popular Fiela se kind is back in the Town Hall, and in the play, 'n Geworry, with text by Saartjie Botha, the well-known acting couple Elize Cawood and Wilson Dunster portrays a couple whose children have left the house – they visit London and there all their worries start!

English plays are well represented: The Fall is a Baxter Theatre production and addresses the relevant and topical issue of the current student movement in an honest, thought-provoking and healing way. In Girls just wanna have fun the destructive role of drugs in sport is investigated.

In Marthinus Basson's translation, directing and design of Hotel Malaria, a woman who has an incurable disease persuades a complete stranger to stay with her. Their journey together is both moving and joyful.

In Wag van, a woman's son dies in an unexplained way and she becomes estranged from the rest of the town and its superstitions. Dedicated faith confronts the fear of death head on.

Martelsang emphasises the pain you carry with you through the years in a country where injustices continue from one regime to the next. It is an Afrikaans adaption of Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman.

Ghost stories form part of Nagwandelaars, and in Nerêns Noord-Kaap three brothers, who grew up in a godforsaken town in the heart of the Kalahari, meet again after many years on the farm they had left behind. Nommerpas 2 is a sketch of a gambling spot in District Six.

In Pa maak vir my 'n vlieër, Pa, with Sandra Prinsloo, the middle-aged Org looks after his mother in a small apartment. The question is what effect will the danger of a secret visit by an unknown man have on their relationship.

Die Vrou uit die see by Hendrik Ibsen is a highlight with an impressive cast dealing with complex situations with humour. Wild is a story of a dirty, undernourished young woman who was brought up by dogs and cannot talk, raising questions about the nature of human beings, language and communication.

The music menu, especially the Sanlam Musical Festival, is rich and full of variety. A highlight is Piekniek by Mpande Née Dingaan with original text and music by Johannes Kerkkorrel and Koos Kombuis. In 1988, the Afrikaans establishment was shocked by the cabaret Piekniek by Dingaan. Today South Africa is a different country.  

The group Blackbyrd, with three women and their three guitars, Tarryn Lamb, Samantha Heldsinger and Tamsyn Maker, is quite popular. In the Jan Marais Nature Reserve Emo Adams, Francois van Coke, Mathew Mole and Theuns Jordaan will be performing, while Jak de Priester will be on stage at Weltevreden Aansit.

In the evenings, Bloekomhoek will showcase the Blues Broers, Gian Groen, Basson Laubscher and Sven Blumer.

Other well-known artists performing at the SU Woordfees is Laurika Rauch and Loki Rothman in Blou at Spier. On Sunday, Ballades will be the last performance of the 2017 SU Woordfees with great stars such as Amanda Strydom, Lize Beekman, Coenie de Villiers and Joshua na die Reën at Spier.

There is a great variety of classical music, with the Stellenbosch University Choir, as well as a solo recital by Megan-Geoffrey Prins, one of South Africa's foremost young pianists, who will also perform with the US Camerata in Metamorfose on 9 March.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lied, with the US Chamber Choir under the baton of Martin Berger, will be a choral-theatrical performance with songs and projected images. And at the NG Moederkerk Zorada Temmingh and Roucher du Toit will perform at the annual Organ Week.

• For more information visit www.woordfees.co.za. 
  

The legal and illegal trade in wildlife could lead to the spread of disease and invasive species, writes Dr John Measey of the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University in an article published on The Conversation website on Wednesday (8 March 2017).

• Read the complete article below or click here for the piece as published.
  

How do we control our desire to own a piece of the nature's beauty?

What does World Wildlife Day mean to you? Does it conjure up images of elephants rubbing up against trees in Addo National Park, or perhaps tigers stalking deer through the jungles of Bandipur-Nagarahole in southern India? In fact, World Wildlife Day (each year on 3rd March) commemorates the day on which the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed. And as their name suggests, CITES is concerned with the darker side of our love affair with wildlife: the desire to have a little piece of it for ourselves.

Trade in wildlife is defined as the sale (or exchange) of wild animal and plant resources by people, and the legal side has been valued as being worth USD 160 billion in the 1990s, but by 2009 TRAFFIC estimated that the value of global imports in wildlife trade had risen above USD 323 billion. Trade in wildlife is on the increase in many economies, and that's the reason why World Wildlife Day should be of concern to you.

The Illegal trade in wildlife

The size and scale of the illegal trade is practically impossible to quantify. It has been estimated that the illegal trade in wildlife is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but the impact on biodiversity is probably worth much more to us. The species traded form part of the network of biodiversity that used to protect us from freak weather events and the uncertain influences of changes in climate. Think of the ongoing destruction to Malagasy forests required to cut and extract rosewood trees to feed an insatiable appetite for this wood in China and Malaysia.

Trade in animals is similarly out of control. This has a negative effect not only on the species that are removed from the wild, but may subsequently lead to the spread of diseases, and some may even form invasive populations that threaten biodiversity in other areas. For example, the trade in amphibians, both for frogs' legs (yes, there is still a global demand!) and as pets, has led directly to invasive populations of many species which now threaten amphibian diversity. In addition, these animals may be responsible for the spread a fungal disease around the world, which has already driven many frog species to extinction.

What motivates us to own pieces of wild plants and animals?

Trade in wildlife is driven on three fronts: dwindling resources in many areas where people live, especially urban areas, send them or their agents back to rural settings to gather timber or bush meat. Second are the strong beliefs that pieces of animals and plants can cure ailments or enhance and restore ageing, failing organs; think of the plight of vultures or rhinos. Lastly, is our growing appreciation of the beauty of the biodiversity that the world offers. Images you'll see on the pages of this newspaper, your TV and magazines all promote the magnificence of plants and animals. Something we've failed to be able to synthesise or recreate. But how can we break the vicious circle that links our appreciation of wildlife with our desire to have a piece in our own homes?

Do you have a pet? I have a couple of dogs which come from a long line of domesticated mutts which scientists believe date back to 32 000 years ago. They are certainly a far cry from the wolves from which they were domesticated. I imagine that many of you have dogs, but a growing number of you may have an unusual pet. By this I mean an animal which has not been domesticated. A species which may have been bred locally or overseas, or may even have been collected from the wild. The demand for unusual pets in South Africa has grown at an alarming rate, and is one which mirrors what's happening in other parts of the world. Governments and NGOs are rightly concerned that this growing trend to move ever increasing numbers of different species of live animals and plants around the world. These all have to potential to become future invasive species which could carry high economic and environmental costs.

How do we decide when trade is likely to cause a problem?

This is no easy question to answer, but a group of international scientists have applied their minds to this problem to produce a scheme that can help governmental agencies decide whether a species should be traded. The information will also be made available to the public, so that you and I can be informed in the decision we make next time our offspring voice their desire to own an unusual or exotic pet.

The scheme is called EICAT (Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa) and it attempts to categorise the impact caused by species which could be traded or moved accidentally with trade. It looks rather similar to the IUCN red list, and that's because it has now been adopted by the IUCN as non-partisan way to advise governments on which species are likely to cause most problems. The team of international scientists who helped dream up the scheme include researchers from Stellenbosch University's Centre for Invasion Biology (C·I·B).  These scientists are now busy trying to assess the thousands of species that have already formed invasive populations around our planet.

My own input has been to lead a team evaluating the impacts of the world's invasive amphibians. We discovered some startling impacts that outwardly humble and harmless looking frogs may have. For example, in Florida the foam nests of invasive Cuban Tree Frogs can cause shorts in transformers resulting in power-cuts. In Hawaii, property prices have slumped where invasive populations of Coqui Frogs now keep residents awake all night with their piercing calls. Perhaps most upsetting is the invasion of toxic Asian Toads in Indonesia where people regularly eat native frogs, but the poison glands of this invasive species has led to the death of at least one child. In another study, we have now found that these same toads are occasionally brought into South Africa with furniture shipments.

Can regulations on trade change the spread of disease and invasive species?

It turns out that while the alarm was being raised about the disease in frogs, trade in salamanders (newts and their relatives) was spreading another disease which threatened wild populations in North America and Europe. Then something remarkable happened: in 2015, only 2 years after the discovery of the fungus that infects salamanders and newts (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans), the US banned all trade and movement of salamanders.

So can a ban in trade help prevent the dire consequences?

The answer is probably that the ban alone won't solve our problems. We need a public that is well informed about the consequences of participating in both legal and illegal trade as well as the consequences of apparently well-meaning actions (like taking an unwanted pet to the nearest park), and the negative consequences (spreading of disease, invasion of non-native species).

At the C·I·B, we recognise the need to provide impartial advice to governmental agencies and the public alike on the risk of trading animals and plants. We do this in our capacity as an honest broker, using scientific literature to base assessments of the impacts of each species. We believe that this work will have a positive impact on trade, not by reducing numbers or stopping people having pets, but by informing the public of the impact that species may have on our natural ecosystems. Our fascination and admiration of the natural environment may draw us closer to it, but we need to remain responsible about any desire to own a piece.

*Dr John Measey is a Senior Researcher for the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University.

Hundreds of Stellenbosch University (SU) students took to the streets on International Women's Day yesterday (Wednesday 8 March) as part of the Start Letting Us Talk (Slut) Walk, an initiative that aims to take a stand against rape culture and gender discrimination.

"We are bombarded with hypersexualised images of females every day, they are around us every single day, encouraging the normalisation of female objectification. Unfortunately the media and society is not empowering us women. The media sends the message that women need to be pretty, not powerful," said newly appointed SRC Chairperson, Nomzamo Ntombela. "This is incredibly harmful to our culture at large. We also need to realise that racial inequality is related to gender inequality. Rape culture exists on our campuses – we need to start talking."

The march, primarily consisting of female students, made its way through Victoria Street and Merriman Street to raise awareness for the cause. Many women bore signs such as "Stop silencing us' and 'Still not asking for it'.

The Slut Walk March forms part of ongoing initiatives on campus that tackles gender equality issues and efforts to dismantle rape culture.

Last year, SU appointed a task team, chaired by Dr Birgit Schreiber, Senior Director: Student Affairs, to investigate rape culture. For more information, click here.

A music extravaganza, a taste of those familiar class days with "Back to Class" lectures, class reunions, a fun run and mountain-biking experience for sports enthusiasts and a host of Woordfees shows. These were just some of the special events organised for alumni at Stellenbosch University's (SU) second annual Homecoming and Family Weekend for 2017 held on the Stellenbosch campus from 2 to 6 March.

"It was a blast – there's nothing better than welcoming back alumni to a place that shaped their future. This year's Homecoming and Family Weekend gave Maties the opportunity to revisit their alma mater, take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about the good old student days. And by the looks of things, they certainly did just that," says Shaun Stuart, Manager: Alumni Relations.

"We also had repeat visitors who were here for our inaugural Homecoming Weekend in 2016 and who made sure to participate in 2017," he adds.

The Alumni Office once again elected to collaborate with the Woordfees, SU's literary and art festival, which has made quite a name for itself since its inception in 2000. This partnership meant that alumni could claim a special discount for selected Woordfees shows.

The Homecoming Weekend had an exciting start with an opening concert at Coetzenburg where a host of popular South African artists and musicians performed music by Queen, Abba, Barbara Streisand and Tina Turner, as well as some classical favourites. Artists included Corlea, Jannie Moolman, Emo Adams, Timothy Moloi and Lindiwe Bongani, among others. A special Homecoming VIP area was reserved for alumni, where Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, was on hand to do the official welcoming.

For some cerebral stimulation, alumni could support their respective faculties at a series of "Back to Class" faculty talks. Topics covered included the state of the economy and career choices for the world of work in 2050, how technology affects the learning environments, the ageing process and whether you really need Botox, corruption and what you can do about it, and genetically modified food.

Sport enthusiasts could also take in the breath-taking scenery at Coetzenburg while keeping fit at our Homecoming Veldtrap met Woorde race for an 18-km or 35-km mountain bike experience or a 6-km or 12-km fun walk/run.

Don't miss Homecoming 2018 during the University's centenary celebrations!

• Photo from left to right: Catherine de Villiers, alumnus Monanana Mminele, Wim de Villiers and Karen Bruns, Senior Director: Development & Alumni. (Photographer: Anina Fourie)
  
• Do you have ideas for #MatiesHomecoming 2018? Send your thoughts to alumni@sun.ac.za.
  
• Visit our Facebook page for more photos of the Homecoming Weekend. 

​With the severe water shortage that is currently plaguing the Western Cape, innovative solutions are in greater demand than ever before. During the second Stellenbosch Forum lecture of 2017 which took place on Thursday (9 March), Dr MJ (Thinus) Booysen discussed two devices that he has helped develop to tackle the problem: Geasy and the Smart Water Meter. 

These devices were the subject of the second Stellenbosch Forum Lecture of 2017 which took place on Thursday (9 March) at Stellenbosch University. At the event, Booysen spoke on "Connected through water and energy in the internet of things."

"We are experiencing a serious water shortage in the greater Cape Town area – and until very recently also in other parts of the country," said Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor at SU, in his introductory address to the lecture. "Wouldn't it be great if technology could provide some solutions? But somebody has to do the research first and then convert that not only into technology but also something with commercial potential. That is exactly what our speaker will be touching on today."

Consumers can install the Smart Water Meter to gain detailed information on how much water they are using every day, whilst 'Geasy', an intelligent geyser management system, provides full control of your geyser via any internet-connected device and saves electricity through optimised scheduling.

Booysen demonstrated the power of showing consumer show much water they are using when they leave the tap running. In one case study, a coffee shop reduced its water consumption by 67% after seeing one week's worth of data on their water usage.

"It's not just about information that you can analyse later, it can also immediately affect your behaviour," Booysen said.

The Smart Water Meter is being sold for R850, which can be used alone or alongside Geasy.

This week's March 2017 Graduation Ceremonies will again see a record number of students graduating from Stellenbosch University (SU). Together with the December 2016 Graduation Ceremonies (the two ceremonies form the 2016 academic year) it will again be the most qualifications, including the most doctoral degrees, awarded by SU.

140 doctorates will be awarded this week and, together with those awarded in December, it will bring the number of doctorates for the 2016 academic year to 278 (in comparison with 2015's 267). Altogether 2922 degrees will be awarded this week – bring the total number of degrees for the 2016 academic year to 8339 (7905 for 2015).

Matie students will be rewarded for their hard work at six ceremonies from Tuesday 14 to Friday 17 March 2016. The ceremonies take place in the Coetzenburg Centre at Coetzenburg.

Honorary degrees

Two honorary doctorates will also be awarded this week – to the prominent music scholar and professor of Musicology and Music Theory at Princeton University – the foremost music scholar to have come from the African continent, Prof Kofi Agawu; and the Rwandan banker, policy-maker, campaigner for women's rights and former government leader, Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa;

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), honoris causa, is awarded to Agawu for his internationally acclaimed contribution to musicology, for his ground-breaking research on African music, and for serving as an inspiration to the next generation of African scholars by epitomising the quality of scholarship that can emerge from this continent.

Nsanzabaganwa receives the degree Doctor of Commerce (DCom), honoris causa, for her role in developing academically sound economic policies for Rwanda, thereby improving her compatriots' quality of life, for her contribution in creating world-class state institutions, and for her activism to establish women as key players in the African economy.

Graduation Ceremonies:

• Tuesday 14 March, 17:00: Faculties of AgriSciences and Medicine and Health Sciences
• Wednesday 15 March, 10:00: Faculties Theology and Engineering
• Wednesday 15 March, 17:00: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Thursday 16 March, 10:00: Faculties of Science, Education, Law and Military Science
• Thursday 16 March, 17:00: Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences (for a Group A)
• Friday 17 March, 10:00:  Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences (for a Group B) and honorary degrees.

Parking in Stellenbosch

Heavy traffic is expected on all the main roads to Stellenbosch as well as in town. Graduates, parents and friends are kindly requested to arrive early to avoid traffic jams and to ensure parking spots. Graduates with disabilities or injured or sick graduates who cannot move on the stage, should contact the University's Client Service Centre at tel 021 808 9111 to arrange that these degrees can be bestowed off-stage.